The album may be the follow-up to Matt's 2007 Geffen debut Best Days, but it's truly a formal introduction to the singer-songwriter. Writing and helping to compose the production on every song himself, he decided to go back to his piano roots for It's the Good Crazy, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. "This is really my first record," he declares. "Best Days was essentially chasing a time, and I experimented with a lot of nuances, like playing the guitar on half the record. But, playing the piano has always been my one true love. My parents constantly took me to concerts including The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Elton John, and it was those outings that gave me the itch to start playing the piano. This time, about 80 percent of It's The Good Crazy is done on piano."
Breaking away from modern trends, Matt recorded the entire album on analog tape, allowing any and all happy accidents to stay in the songs. "It was really special to record on analog tape because all of the albums I love were done that way. Tape sounds better, and it's always going to sound better. There's a depth in the sound wave that you can't capture digitally. There were no computers, no Pro Tools and no room for error. If I screwed up, it's on there," he laughs.
"I was dropped from Geffen in the winter of 2009 when I was on tour in Canada. It was a devastating experience for me. So I was depressed for a month, then realized that my happiness was in the music." Matt immediately began composing songs for what would become It's The Good Crazy. In order to capture that edgy tone, he retreated to a church in Woodstock, NY to record with producers David Baron and Henry Hirsch [Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger].
While in Woodstock, Henry pushed Matt to capture music in the moment, preserving the integrity of each song from its inception. "We were in that church, and Henry really got in my head and helped me evolve," explains Matt. "He said, 'If you can deliver on a performance level, something happens when you play a song live and it's recorded onto a tangible piece of equipment. There's nothing like it'."
Working on the same board that Led Zeppelin II was recorded on and tracking to what might be one of the last 3M tape machines left in existence, Matt stirred up a sound that's evocative of Elton John at times but with a wiseass wittiness. Hence tracks like the bombastic "Therapy."
"Yes, I've gone to therapy," he exclaims. "I'm a New York City kid; people go to therapy! Everyone in their late '20s is trying to get married, and there's this mass hysteria over it in Manhattan. That song is talking to your therapist about that fear of being single. My mom wanted to set me up with my neighbor's daughter after she graduated from college in May. Those things happened, and they're in the songs!"
Meanwhile, during "And The Beat Goes On," Matt chronicles the trials and tribulations of dating in the big city—with a smirk of course. "If you're dating a girl in New York, you're going to be spending a lot of money. I'm a musician, not a banker. I'm happy with chicken fingers. I don't need fancy food."
Midway through recording, Matt teamed up with Ryko for the release of It's The Good Crazy, and he couldn't be happier with this new partnership. He comments, "Everyone at the label genuinely loves music. They’ve been extremely nurturing and supportive on every level. I’m free to be me and not put into a box. I was going to put out this album come hell or high-water, but I sat down with Ruby Marchand (Head of A&R) and we talked about music and the business and she and Ryko felt like the perfect partner."
Since debuting in 2007, Matt's music has been featured in numerous films, TV shows and commercials including What Happens In Vegas, Shrek The Third, McDonald's, The Hills, Brothers and Sisters and One Tree Hill. In addition, his "Songs Of Freedom" became the theme for Gap's "Vote For" campaign, airing on a special electoral episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Best Days also hit #4 on Billboard's New Artist chart and received acclaim from RollingStone and Details. Selling 400,000 digital downloads, he's cultivated a diehard fan base that turns out anytime he hits the stage.
The stage is exactly where he's most charming. Touring and performing alongside everyone from B.B. King and Sheryl Crow to John Mayer and Counting Crows, he's got charisma that brings audiences back for more. Donning flamboyant stage attire and pounding the keys, Matt never fails to deliver a show.
"I play piano with my feet, I play it backwards and I hit it with my elbows and fists. It's a theatrical performance,” says Matt. “That's really what I always wanted to do as a kid.”
The world received its first taste of Crazy when Facebook premiered demos from the album as their music player's very first artist feature. Fan response to the tracks was overwhelming and it proved the perfect platform for the release of "Falling In Love (With My Best Friend)." The single goes to radio this summer, and you'll be humming along to it as soon as you hear it.
Matt grew up immersed in music. His grandmother was the first female orchestra leader in the country, while his great grandfather was responsible for giving Frank Sinatra his first violin.
Matt smiles, "My great grandfather started the Hertz School of Music. He used to give out instruments for free, and it turned out that he gave Sinatra his first violin. My whole childhood was musical. While everybody was watching sports growing up, I was studying the drum sounds of John Bonham from the 1973 live record."
His innate obsession with music is what makes the new album so insanely fun. "I'm the son of a psychiatrist," he goes on. "I connect with the Larry Davids of the world. I love the Annie Hall approach. I like things that are not perfect. I like art made from instinct. I'm definitely crazy. I'm up until six in the morning obsessing over everything, but I think I'm the good crazy."
Wait For Love
Matt White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I'm thinking of you
And all those times we cried
Did we really try?
Now I'm dreaming in blue
No matter where we say goodbye
I tell you baby
[Chorus]
I'll wait for love
I'll wait for you
I'll wait for love
I'll wait, will you?
When times are hard, I'll think of you
I'll wait for love
I'll wait for love
And looking in my eyes
We're both telling lies
Asking too much of you
And when you kiss my lips
That is what i miss
Not knowing we be through
No matter when we say goodbye
I tell you darling
I won't cry
[Chorus]
Your eyes still gaze at me through pictures
You could just be the one that got away
I look down at the phone
It's your number
Too many times a day
[Chorus]
In the verses of Matt White's song "Wait For Love", the singer is reflecting on a past relationship and is tormented by the memories. The opening lines suggest that the singer is experiencing insomnia, and the reason for the sleeplessness is a result of thinking about the person they used to be with. The reference to crying in the line "And all those times we cried" indicates that the relationship wasn't perfect and that it met its end. The question that the singer asks in the next line, "Did we really try?", suggests that there's a sense of regret that they didn't do enough to make the relationship work.
In the second verse, the singer expresses the lies that they and their former partner told and the unrealistic expectations they had for each other, which ultimately led to the demise of the relationship. The reference to missing the feeling of being kissed by the other person indicates that there are still lingering feelings between the two, despite the fact that they had to say goodbye. The singer then reassures their former partner that they won't cry and that they should remain strong as they go their separate ways.
In the chorus, the singer expresses their desire to wait for love and the other person, despite the challenging times that they're experiencing. The repetition of the line "I'll wait for love" highlights the singer's commitment to holding on to love despite the challenges they faced in their previous relationship. The line "When times are hard, I'll think of you" suggests that the singer is finding comfort in their memories of the relationship and is hopeful that they'll be able to find love again.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like a quarter to three and I just can't sleep
I can't fall asleep because my thoughts are consumed with you.
'Cause I'm thinking of you
You are the main thing occupying my thoughts.
And all those times we cried
I am reflecting on the sad moments we experienced together.
Did we really try?
I question if we put enough effort towards our relationship.
Now I'm dreaming in blue
My current state of mind is overwhelmed with sadness.
No matter where we say goodbye
The location of where we part doesn't matter to me.
I tell you baby
I reassure you affectionately.
Keep your head high
I want you to stay positive and optimistic.
I'll wait for love
I am willing to patiently wait for love to come to me.
I'll wait for you
I am willing to patiently wait for you.
When times are hard, I'll think of you
When I face difficulties, I will remember you and how we coped together.
And looking in my eyes
We are making eye contact with each other.
We're both telling lies
Neither of us is being truthful with each other.
Asking too much of you
I realize that I put unrealistic expectations on you.
And when you kiss my lips
The moment you kiss me.
That is what I miss
I long for that feeling again.
Not knowing we be through
I didn't realize our time together would come to an end.
No matter when we say goodbye
The timing of our separation doesn't matter to me.
I tell you darling
I reassure you lovingly.
I won't cry
I will remain strong and not let my emotions overtake me.
Your eyes still gaze at me through pictures
I still have visual memories of you looking at me.
You could just be the one that got away
You may be the person I missed my opportunity with.
I look down at the phone
I check my phone to see if you called or messaged me.
It's your number
I see that it is your contact information on my screen.
Too many times a day
I check my phone often, frequently reminded of your absence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, PFIVE Entertainment Mexico
Written by: MATT WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@efi-manolia
almost 20 years later and people still coming here because of one tree hill!! god that show was epic!
@Maisa91
Oh all you new comers of One tree
Hill. I heard this song when the episode aired 10 years ago. Also just wanted to point out one tree hill started when I was 12...I'm 26 now and really miss it. 😭
@Misulik
I feel you, girl. I feel the exact same way. :(
@gohanson9143
Me too
@vinayakkorgaonkar7123
Maisa A. Everybody still loves the show ....it was a respite to escape in their beautiful world. .I will always love oth. So will every other fan......I miss it so much
@ishitayadav7367
I can imagine what it must be like growing up with it. And this song ❤
@AroonemaKoteyal
Awww
@avalondeluxe
I completely agree that One Tree Hill is the best show on the planet. It conveys just the right emotions, enough to make you relate and comfortable. Everything is also nostalgic, and not typical like other shows it is compared to.
@THEDOORIZCLOSED
Thank you One Tree Hill for always introducing the best music!
@maplesyrup8567
God I miss OTH. This song is killing me with nostalgia